Der Mars-Rover "Curiosity" entdeckt erstmals ein organisches Molekül, das einem Vorläufer von DNA ähnelt. Die Chemikalie könnte ein Hinweis auf früheres Leben auf dem roten Planeten sein. Der Rover findet sie dort, wo ein früherer See vermutet wird.
Help?
We’re applying for a geoscience outreach award. We need nomination letters.
Are you someone working in geoscience education or outreach, think Mineral Cup is worthy, and are willing to write us kind words by May 22?
Please drop a note to hastagmincup@gmail.com for details.
Thank you!
🚨Job Alert🚨 ‼️ "Curate Rock and Mineral Collection—one of #Germany ’s largest, with ~35,000 samples across minerals, rocks, meteorites, fossils, and ores ...strategic collection development and independent research projects."
Ruhr University Bochum ⚒️🧪
#FossilFriday ⚒️🧪
From Fabre Minerals, a commercial site that sells rocks/minerals. It's a series of green crystals projecting, needle-like, from a more normal looking green/orange rock substrate. They resemble fans of pillars, like certain scenes in movies depicting Superman's Fortress of Solitude.
Malachite is a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral formed by precipitation of copper ores dissolved in groundwater.
The rate at which the mineral is deposited can radically alter the crystalline shape, including producing needle-like ('acicular') crystals as shown here.
Hence, do NOT touch.
A 40 cm wide sphere of gypsum (cross sectioned), showing radial array of vast lathe like crystals. Pencil for scale.
A "daisy wheel" of gypsum, indicating primary deposition of gypsum, burial and dehydration to anhydrite, then uplift and rehydration back to gypsum. ⚒️
Magazine cover "Right On!" With photo of a young Prince looking at the camera. "PRINCE: DO YOU STILL WANT TO BE HIS LOVER!"
Daily news, Metro final cover. "R.I.P. you sexy mother" In large purple letters. Prince Rodgers Nelson, 1958 - 2016. Photo illustration of Prince sitting. He's wearing a gray and black patterned outfit, open at the chest, held tilted, looking at the camera.
10 years #Prince
Tower in Motion: Resonance Mode Analysis of Devils Tower; new from us, now published in GSA Today: www.geosociety.org/GSA/Publicat...
Morning in a Red River Town.
Fargo, North Dakota
Nice story featuring work done by @microbialmatt.bsky.social and his group!
The story talks about how nitrate pollution has resulted in many wells being above 10 ppm (drinking water limit) and within a few years many more wells will be above that limit.
www.kcur.org/environment-...
[April 20th, 1946] WBKB's attempt to televise a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field failed due to poor image quality. Director William C. Eddy attributed the issue to electrical interference from elevator operations in the State-Lake building. Another attempt is planned for next Saturday.
File of figures associated with Twin Metals Mining preliminary environmental scoping:
#Minnesota geology ⚒️
web.archive.org/web/20220310...
Twin Metals was in the very early stages of the Environmental Review Program with the Minnesota DNR, but the state stopped work in 2022 when the feds canceled mineral leases.
Some incomplete documents are on Internet archive. #Minnesota geology ⚒️
web.archive.org/web/20220310...
* not in the Boundary Waters, but nearby. The worry is the drainage direction toward the BWCA
Washington Post article on STEM cuts at federal agencies. NSF tops it at -42%!
“Between January 2025 and February 2026, STEM and health employees at science-focused agencies saw nearly 15,000 jobs cut. The rate outpaced cuts among other federal workers.”
OPM data - Figure from Wash Post article 19 April. (Where US science has been hit hardest.)
NSF at -42%!
Gower Gulch, Death Valley National Park, Furnace Creek Formation, Miocene-Pliocene age.
Gower Gulch, Death Valley National Park, Furnace Creek Formation, Miocene-Pliocene age.
Bruhhhh please why did these kids cook him like this?! 😭😭😭
The North Dakota State University Press publishes books on the "plains of North America ... and comparable regions of other continents."
We* just held our Press Party, celebrating recent releases - check them out! Order from the web site
*I'm on the advisory board
1/2
ndsupress.org/books/
Map centered on the central North Slope of Alaska showing low temperatures (ºF) through 7am AKDT Sunday, April 19, 2026. Plotted temperatures range from -35F at Toolik Lake to -9F at Alpine and Inigok.
Winter is alive and well on Alaska's central North Slope. Low temperatures Sunday morning included -35F (-37.2C) at Toolik Lake UAF Research Station and -32F (-35.6C) at Umiat. Persistent low clouds kept coastal areas milder. #akwx #weather
A black and white photo of a row Victorian houses tilted at odd angles presumably due to liquefaction, labeled “Peculiar Effects of Earthquake”
A ghostly black and white photo of people and a cart walking down a street where the buildings are all damaged and some just have the facades standing, labeled “California Street”
A black and white photograph of the burned-out shell of San Francisco city hall with the dome still mostly intact, labeled “City Hall”
A black and white photo of people and makeshift shelters in the earthquake and fire-damaged city, labeled “Refugee Camp”
It’s April 18th, so time to repost some of my great-grandfather’s photos of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake
This is true out here on the prairie / in the badlands
bsky.app/profile/robp...
Voyager 1 has had another instrument shutdown. On Friday, the team at JPL sent the command to shut off of the low energy charged particle instrument. That means that there are now only two operational science instruments on the spacecraft.
science.nasa.gov/blogs/voyage...
Frühlingswind (1923) - Hans Baluschek (1870–1935) #critical_realism #urban_scene
Manganese nodule.
Display of "Champagne Times: Lawrence Welk and His American Century" 3 volume boxed set
Books on display, including "The Shining Hands of my Ponca Ancestors," "Aurora, " a book of poetry, "Rethinking Rural," and others
Books on display, including "Pacing Dakota," "The Bakken," "Stringing Rosaries," and others.
A three volume set, an outstanding biography of Lawrence Welk, a famous North Dakota native; and other recent books on display, published by the #NDSU Press.
You can submit your manuscript!
The North Dakota State University Press publishes books on the "plains of North America ... and comparable regions of other continents."
We* just held our Press Party, celebrating recent releases - check them out! Order from the web site
*I'm on the advisory board
1/2
ndsupress.org/books/
Even I wrote a book on Lincoln.
Aiguille Verte and Drus today! 🤩
I sampled this profile (dark brown, left) on top of the lateral moraine of Argentiere Glacier 15 yrs ago!
It basically no longer exists today, bedrock is outcropping everywhere!
These moraines won't be around much longer!
Before and after satellite imagery of the landslide this morning at Nizhny Ubekimakhi in Russia. Note the impounded lake on the east side of the landslide block, which is about 1 km wide. @planet.com @davepetley.bsky.social @glacierhazard.bsky.social
